Swimming Exercises to Lose weight
Can swimming help you lose weight and just how many calories will a good swim
burn? We take a look at how swimming can help you
achieve your weight loss goals.
Targets shoulders, arms, abs, and hips.
Standing in shallow end, simultaneously sit back into
water, treading with hands out to sides, and lift both legs together so that you fold at hips to create a wide V shape, with head and
toes just above surface.
Quickly bring knees to chest — or bring legs as straight as
you can toward chest to make V less wide — then extend legs to return to V
position.
Do 15 to 20 reps.
Continue treading with hands for 1 minute.
MAKE IT EASIER: Skip knee tuck and simply hold V position for 1 minute.
Side Burpee.
Targets abs, obliques, hips, and legs.
Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in
each hand.
In deep end, hold on to edge of pool with right hand so that body is perpendicular to edge; tuck knees into chest to place both feet flat (right stacked
above left) against side wall of pool as high as possible.
Maintaining hand grip throughout, jump feet off wall and extend legs as you engage abs to bring body as parallel to surface as possible in a side-plank position (left hip now
stacked above right). Return to tuck and continue for 1 minute.
Switch sides and repeat for 1 minute.
Targets back, shoulders, arms, chest, and abs.
Sit on kickboard with knees together, legs dangling or skimming bottom of pool.
Extend arms in front of you, palms facing away from each other, then sweep arms out
to sides (as if doing a breaststroke).
Continue stroking across pool for 30 seconds, then switch stroke
to go in opposite direction: Bring arms out to sides with palms
facing forward, elbows slightly bent, then sweep arms together
in front of you.
Continue for 30 seconds, squeezing shoulder blades as you push forward and back.
Tombstone Kick.
Targets back, arms, abs, butt, and legs.
With your back to edge of pool, hold kickboard with
both hands so that it's vertical (rounded edge up)
and half of it is below surface of water.
Push off wall with feet, holding kickboard in
tombstone position, and kick as hard as you can toward
opposite side of pool.
Continue for 1 minute.
MAKE IT HARDER: Hold kickboard horizontally and
completely submerged.
Targets abs and legs.
Tread water in deep end of pool, arms out to sides and legs extended beneath you.
Engaging abs, squeeze legs together and sweep them backward, bending knees
slightly, then quickly extend them forward (like a dolphin's
tail); counterbalance motion by sweeping arms through water in
opposite direction of legs.
Continue for 1 minute.
TRAINER TIP: Your whole body should crack like a
whip; initiate the movement from your core, not your legs.
Targets back, shoulders, arms, and abs.
In rib-deep or waist-deep water, stand with feet wide, grasping
each end of kickboard with thumbs on top; hinge forward
from hips 45 degrees with back flat and elbows bent by sides so that board is in front of chest.
Push kickboard diagonally down under water, extending
arms and squeezing abs, then bend elbows to scoop
board back up to chest like a biceps curl.
Continue for 1 minute.
TRAINER TIP: Splash as little as possible to ensure you're focusing on your core and
arms.
Vertical Breaststroke.
Targets abs, butt, hips, and inner thighs.
Treading water in deep end, grasp each end of kickboard and hold it above your head.
Extend legs below you.
Flexing feet, bend knees to bring heels toward butt and quickly press legs down and diagonally outward to thrust body out of water a bit, toes
pointed.
Extend legs below you; repeat for 1 minute.
MAKE IT EASIER: If holding kickboard overhead is too difficult, just raise hands
above head or let them float by sides.
Targets triceps, abs, and obliques.
Begin with your back facing side wall of pool and place palms on
edge behind you, fingertips facing forward; bend left knee to place left foot flat against
wall and raise straight right leg to hip height in front of you.
Straighten arms to lift out of water; lower to start.
Do 10 reps; switch legs and repeat.
MAKE IT EASIER: Keep both knees bent and both feet flat on wall. (If booty scrapes the edge, you can also do this in
corner of pool.)